It is that knowledge that he is crediting with the rescue of seven-year-old Shavannah Kochon.

Al Gibson was in the right place at the right time last week to help rescue a little girl from choking. - Chris Puglia/NNSL photo

Kochon began choking on a gumball last Sunday while walking to the grocery store with her mother and two brothers.

Gibson said he and a friend were out driving their snowmobiles when Kochon and her brother appeared on the trail behind them.

He noticed that the little girl was hunched over and then the boy ran to the mother telling her she was choking.

"At first I didn't think it was that serious," said Gibson.

As he watched he quickly realized that the situation was developing into one of life and death.

Rushing over to the family's aid he performed the Heimlich manoeuvre.

"I'm just happy I knew first aid and I was able to help," said Gibson.

He has had to use his first aid in the past to help passengers out of a wrecked car.

But, he added, "I've never done the Heimlich before in my life.

"At the time I just reacted. I guess the people who trained me in first aid did a good job."

After the adrenaline wore off, Gibson said he was a little scared.

"When I saw the little white gumball with the blood on it, I got a little scared," he said.

"I never want to see anything like that again."

Like most who perform a heroic act, Gibson doesn't see what he did as extraordinary.

"There would have been a number of people that would have done the same thing. I just happened to be closer," he said.

But, he added, it felt good.

"When it was over the mother shook my hand and thanked me for saving her daughter's life, it felt good," he said.

Gibson also thanked another woman for helping to calm the family down.

Shelley Rogers, a nurse at Stanton Hospital, was that woman.

She arrived while Gibson was performing the Heimlich.

She said she stayed around after everything was done to help clean Kochon up and reassure the family.

"They were concerned about some blood on the gumball, but there wasn't any blood it was just orange from the gumball," she said.